Exodus 19:21

The Lord said to Moses, “Go down and solemnly warn ¹  the people, lest they force their way through to the Lord to look, and many of them perish. ² 

Ex 3:3,5; Ex 19:12,13; Ex 33:20; 1Sa 6:19; Ec 5:1; Heb 12:28,29

¹ tn The imperative הָעֵד (ha’ed) means “charge” them – put them under oath, or solemnly warn them. God wished to ensure that the people would not force their way past the barriers that had been set out.

² tn Heb “and fall”; NAB “be struck down.”